The FINANCIAL — The United States has provided over $3 billion in assistance to Georgia since its independence in 1991, including a $1 billion post-conflict assistance package in the aftermath of the 2008 conflict.
U.S. assistance is critical to supporting Georgia’s progress toward democratic governance, a stable market-based economy, and Euro-Atlantic integration. U.S. assistance is designed to sustain, leverage, and build upon prior programs–especially those launched with the $1 billion assistance post-conflict package–and to further institutionalize gains made to ensure strong democratic and economic foundations for Georgia. The United States will continue to develop assistance projects that bolster democratic and participatory governance, develop institutions that uphold and enforce the rule of law, improve the quality and delivery of social services, promote integration with NATO and increased regional cooperation, lay the groundwork for a sustainable resolution of conflicts with the separatist regions based on Georgia’s territorial integrity, and achieve stable economic growth.
Georgia was one of the first countries to receive a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact in September 2005. The 5-year $395 million Compact focused on enhancing regional infrastructure and energy security. Following completion of the initial Compact in April 2011, Georgia was one of the first countries selected as eligible for a second Compact.
Ongoing U.S. support aims to help citizens exercise a more active role in their own democracy and to engage constructively in political dialogue and oversight over their government. Programs are designed to enhance the ability of civil society and independent media to enable informed civic participation and public debate, provide improved means of communicating citizen interests, and promote government accountability. U.S. programs also strengthen democracy and governance by enhancing institutional checks and balances. This includes assistance to strengthen the rule of law; increase government transparency, accountability, and responsiveness; and promote political competition and democratic electoral processes. U.S. assistance also supports economic growth by promoting private sector competitiveness and development of key sectors of the economy such as agriculture. Programs also provide technical assistance aimed at developing a business-enabling environment that will strengthen investor confidence and lead to widespread growth. U.S. programs continue to assist internally displaced populations and also seek to increase the standard of living of all Georgians through development and reform of the education and health sectors. U.S. assistance works to builds capacity in the security sector by enhancing the professionalism and capacity of the armed forces, furthering Georgia’s ability to secure its borders, improving law enforcement, and addressing cross-border challenges such as trafficking in persons and narcotics.
The strength of U.S.-Georgia relations is codified in the U.S.-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership, signed in January 2009. The first meeting of the Strategic Partnership Commission, held in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2009, launched four bilateral working groups on priority areas identified in the Charter: democracy; defense and security; economic, trade, and energy issues; and people-to-people and cultural exchanges. Senior-level U.S. and Georgian policymakers lead yearly meetings of each working group to review commitments, update activities, and establish future objectives. Since the signing of the Charter, the United States and Georgia have strengthened their mutual cooperation based on U.S. support for Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and its commitment to further democratic reform.
Source: State Department
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